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though but ^the perfume and suppliance of an hour/ 

 a sentiment congenial with the brightness and bre- 

 vity of the passing scene. 



And, oh, with what unsearchable and deep love 

 does the youthful mother place it in the garland of 

 her first born ; and should the nursling be too early 

 snatched from her bosom, with what fond but melan- 

 choly pleasure will she oft times turn with moistened 

 eye from the memory of the cherished one, to the rose 

 bud or the flower, as the remembrancer of its loveli- 

 ness and beauty. Think you there is then no truth 

 in all this ? To the pensive and uncorrupted mind 

 can there be a pleasure more refined than the culture 

 of these sweet earth-born innocents, amid the shades 

 and serenity of the garden and the groves? 



The Prince de Ligne, who w^as the companion of 

 monarchs, and surrounded by the splendour of 

 courts, derived his chief enjoyment from the culti- 

 vation of his graden, and with enthusiasm has said, 

 ^would that I could warm the whole world with my 

 taste for gardening ; it appears to me impossible that 

 a bad man can possess it ; there is no virtue that I 

 do not imagine in him who loves to speak of, and to 

 make gardens; fathers pf families, inspire your chil- 

 dren with a love of gardening and flowers,^ This is 

 the language of a prince, and the testimony of a 

 generous and exalted spirit. 



There is, besides, in the culture of the garden, a 

 religion silently but truly taught, to which meditation 



